Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the treatment of residential management companies as business energy customers; and whether she has considered extending domestic energy protections to such companies.

The classification of an energy supply as domestic or non-domestic is determined in accordance with supplier licence conditions and guidance issued by Ofgem, the independent energy regulator. Suppliers are responsible for ensuring that premises are correctly classified, and whether a particular supply is treated as domestic or non-domestic depends on the specific circumstances of the case.

The Government and Ofgem recognise that indirect domestic energy consumers may not always benefit from the same protections as consumers who contract directly with suppliers.

Ofgem has started work on adopting a more consumer outcomes-based approach to regulating both the domestic and non-domestic energy suppliers, with their first consultation having closed over the summer. Stakeholders will have further opportunities to contribute their views to this work as it progresses, and the Government will continue to work closely with Ofgem to ensure all consumers get appropriate protections in the retail market.